Mothers Allege Bias In Suit Against Complex

A pair of Broward County single mothers have filed a federal lawsuit against a North Lauderdale apartment complex, charging the complex used discriminatory rental practices.

Specifically, the suit contends the Sanctuary Cove Apartments and the Cornerstone Group, which developed and manages the property, refused to rent apartments to mothers who would have had two of their children share a bedroom.

"How can two adults share a room, but two small persons can't share a room," said Keenya Robertson, vice president for fair housing at Miami-based HOPE, Inc. "It makes no sense."

Attorney Leslie Langbein, representing Cornerstone Group, said she couldn't address the specifics of the lawsuit, but said Cornerstone Group, of Coral Gables, had a long history of developing affordable housing in South Florida and has always been meticulous about following the law.

The suit, filed Jan. 7 in federal court in Fort Lauderdale, said the 292-unit Sanctuary Cove, 5601 W. McNab Road, denied a Sunrise mother of three a three-bedroom apartment because its policy allows only one child per bedroom. Donna Weissinger, 37, hoped to take one bedroom for herself, one for her 14-year-old daughter and let her 9- and 11-year-old sons share the third room.

But a December meeting with a rental agent left her in tears.

"He said I had way too many kids to live here, and when I asked him why, he said there could only be one heartbeat per bedroom," Weissinger recalled. "I said, what does that mean? He said only one child per room. If I was married and had two kids, I could live there, but not myself with three kids. I was horrified. ... I went out to my car and cried."

The other plaintiff, Terri Milsap, 33, of Pompano Beach, visited the complex in October, seeking a two-bedroom apartment for herself and her two sons, who would share a room. But she said the agent told her she would need a three-bedroom apartment.

The Cornerstone Group Web site said the Sanctuary Cove apartments are from 800 to 1,211 square feet, priced at $640 for one bedroom, $765 for two bedrooms and $879 for three bedrooms.

HOPE, a Miami-based nonprofit organization that supports fair housing, also is a plaintiff in the suit. The group sent three individuals to the complex seeking a two-bedroom unit for themselves and their two children. In each of those cases, the lawsuit said, agents told the individuals they could only rent a three-bedroom unit.

Staff Researcher Bill Lucey contributed to this report.

Kevin Smith can be reached at kssmith@sun-sentinel.com or 954-572-2009.